1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of earphones, specifically to an in-ear earphone which positions a large portion of a single armature speaker within the ear canal for improved sound quality and transmission. The housing of the present invention has a receiver bay with at least one speaker, an optionally removable member adapted for strengthening and stabilizing the housing, variable front tuning means between the receiver bay and a user's ear that is removable and adaptable for treble adjustment (also later referred to herein as the treble tip), variable rear tuning means adaptable for bass adjustment also removable and communicating with the receiver bay typically in a position remote from that of the variable front tuning means, flexible acoustic sealing means between the housing and the user's ear, and an optionally removable connector associated with the housing that is adapted for coaxial cable attachment to provide a source of sound for the speaker. Further, sound tuning and tonal quality adjustment in the present invention in-ear earphone can be optimized in a variety of alternative ways. The removable variable front tuning means (or treble tip) can comprise a variety of filter materials and configurations for optimal or desired sound tuning and tonal quality adjustment, such as but not limited to stone, fiber, ceramic, and other material capable of acoustic damping. The number and size of speakers, as well as the amount of acoustic damping material used in the present invention, would be among the factors used to determine the size of the housing and the amount of it that will fit directly within the ear canal. The size of the ear opening of the user will also be a factor in determining the amount of the present invention housing that fits into the ear canal. The removable variable rear tuning means for bass adjustment can comprise a venting cavity with one or more venting ports the size of which is determined by the application. Filter material may be used in the venting cavity, or not. In the alternative, a tuned venting cavity can be omitted, with one or more venting ports formed in the outer ear facing portion of the receiver bay and several plugs alternatively used in one or more of them that each reduce the bore size of the venting port to a different diameter dimension, to let varying amounts of air pass through the receiver bay, or block the air flow completely. Further diversification in sound tuning and tonal quality adjustment can be achieved with the use of several plugs alternatively that each include the same or different filter material and bore size reducing structure for venting port insertion whereby varying amounts of air are permitted to pass through the receiver bay for differing applications, or block the air flow completely. Applications include, but are not limited to, use with portable radios, tape players, CD players, hand-held televisions, and other sound-producing devices adapted for personal entertainment, business, and educational applications; use with hand-held music storage and listening devices; use in high fidelity products for the hard of hearing; as well as use by musicians and the aviation, medical, media, and other industries where the providing of high fidelity sound to the ear is either needed or desired.
2. Description of the Related Art
By the nature of their construction, size, and location of use, most earphones used with portable music players, such as radios and compact music storage devices, provide sound to the ear that has reduced sound quality and distortion. To those who enjoy good music, this significantly detracts from the listening experience. In contrast, the present invention is widely adaptable to user preferences, giving more bass to those who prefer it and acoustically dampening the sound in many different ways for enhanced listening pleasure.
The invention thought to be most closely related to the present invention is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. RE38,351 to Iseberg (2003). However, there are significant differences between the present invention and the Iseberg invention. Although both inventions have a housing that is acoustically sealed within an ear, the Iseberg invention is large, and thus, when it is in its usable position, its speaker is in the bowl of the ear and not the ear canal where improved sound transmission would take place. In contrast, the present invention has a much smaller dimension wherein its speaker is always placed at least in part within the ear canal. Also, the present invention has removable variable rear tuning means for bass adjustment adjacent to the outer ear end of its receiver bay, with different embodiments of the present invention having different port locations and size, varying from no venting to bores of varied size, with the optional use of plugs having filter material to block or partially block the bores, for custom sound variation according to the intended application and/or user preference. In addition and in contrast to the Iseberg invention, the present invention has a variable front tuning means or treble stem with a longitudinally-extending stepped opening for treble adjustment at the end of the receiver bay sealed within the ear canal. The Iseberg invention does not have removable treble adjustment or one with a longitudinally-extending stepped opening. Further, the present invention has the option of having a removable strengthening and stabilizing member, such as a sleeve and cap combination or a compression ring, for helping to maintain the integrity of the receiver bay during use. In the alternative, such components can be permanently fixed together during manufacture. Additionally, the coaxial cable connector in assembled embodiments of the present invention is easily releasable from the housing, and allows for fast and easy access user exchange of one color-coordinated cable for another to provide decorative enhancement according to current fashion trends and user preference. No other apparatus is known that functions in the same manner, has the same structure, or provides all of the advantages of the present invention.